Video 8:09
Calls to stop mine in state's south-west

Many residents of the picturesque and popular tourist rural area of south-west Western Australia are in uproar over the Government's new plans for a coal mine.

Transcript

First tonight we head to the state's South West, best known for its old growth forests, great surf and fine wines. But how do oil exploration, coal mining and an alumina refinery fit with the clean, green image that's sold to the world?

Residents in different South West locations are up in arms saying there's no place for the mining industry in the tourism hot spot.

But the State Government is adamant that the two industries can co exist. From the South West, here's Jake Sturmer.

(excerpt from tourism advertisement)

VOICE OVER: Whatever happened to the real Australia?

The Australia where the trees weren't part of a landscaping design.

Where the only things colouring the water were fish? Where it was harder to find a noisy spot than a quiet one?

KEITH SCOTT: Coal mines don't work in a tourist area. They just don't. We're based around tourism. Wine industry is worth $225 million a year annually, last year.

Tourism has got to be double that. Is this mine going to be worth that much to us?

JAKE STURMER: NSW based mining company LD Operations has flag add coal mine 15km north east of Margaret River.

Over the coming months, the company will conduct studies to find out whether such a mine is viable. This is the deposit the mine would draw from the Osmington coal seam running from Margaret River right up to Busselton.

KEITH SCOTT: The mine site's down there in that valley somewhere, got no idea where because nobody's come and told us.

JAKE STURMER: Keith Scott has spent his life on the land, originally from the Murchison, he and his family moved to Margaret River to escape the drought.

KEITH SCOTT: We came down here in 1987, we set our vineyard up in 1994 and we've run the vineyard since then, we've always been in the cattle industry.

JAKE STURMER: He's campaigned on environmental issues for decades. Now he is fighting the coal mine and he doesn't care about wearing the not in my backyard tag.

KEITH SCOTT: I've spent nearly 20 years looking after this river system, so yeah. It's nimby alright. I just don't want it here, I don't want it polluting my river and I don't want it ruining my brand name.

JAKE STURMER: Does a coal mine damage that brand in any way?

RAY COLYER, AUGUSTA-MARGARET RIVER SHIRE PRESIDENT: I will wait on the judgment on the information that I receive in regard to whether this if this coal mine was to go ahead that it would significantly damage our brand...

JAKE STURMER: Ray Colyer is the Augusta-Margaret River Shire President. He said there would be positives particularly for farmers hit by the grape glut.

And while LB Operations declined to be interviewed, it said in a statement, the project had the potential to create 200 jobs.

RAY COLYER: We do need to have industries, new industries coming in that can provide jobs for people in other industries that are struggling.

JAKE STURMER: Locals campaigning against the plan say if the mine began production, trucks carting the coal would run every nine minutes, 24 hours a day, to the next 20 years.

This is where the coal would come, Bunbury Port where it should be shipped around the world.

But there would need to be a few changes here before that could happen. Right now, the port isn't equipped to handle coal.

Bunbury was also where Margaret River residents gathered this week to voice their concerns to their local MP.

MARGARET RIVER RESIDENT: Well we don't want to be known as the south west coal destination. We want to be known as a tourist destination which is what we are.

IAN PARMENTER, LOCAL RESIDENT: Adele Farina was very positive that we can actually get some things happening and she's working to find out more about it.

JAKE STURMER: Back in Perth, the Tourism Minister is remaining level headed.

LIZ CONSTABLE, TOURISM MINISTER: Mining is an important part of the reputation of the State and I don't...

JAKE STURMER: But the south west sells itself on tourism. Could mining affect that in any way?

LIZ CONSTABLE: Let's wait until we've got all the details before we prejudge this and I'm not going to prejudge this until I have all those details.

JAKE STURMER: So how does Margaret River market itself?

RAY COLYER: Beautiful beaches.

KEITH SCOTT: We've got the finest wine in the world.

IAN PARMENTER: The open space, the clean air, the silence.

KEITH SCOTT: Clean and green, obviously.

LIZ CONSTABLE: Tourism in that part of the State is a very important part of our economy and we're not going to jeopardise that.

JAKE STURMER: The concern about mining in the south west isn't just restricted to Margaret River. Here in the Blackwood Valley many locals fear the impact of a potential bauxite mine.

The company, Bauxite Resources, holds exploration releases from Donnybrook to Pemberton and hopes to find enough of the mineral to create an alumina refinery.

CHRISSY SHARP, FORMER GREENS MP: The issue with bauxite mining and an associated alumina industry is that it is a very environmentally destructive process from woe to go.

Dr Sharp now lives in Balingup and is part of the campaign to prevent the expansion of bauxite mining closer to home.

CHRISSY SHARP: I think it really raises the issue whether the whole of Western Australia is to be turned into a quarry or whether we want some parts of our state to focus on more sustainable industries.

BARRY CARBON, BAUXITE RESOURCES: We have the capacity today to do things properly such as the impacts are negligible. And where there are impacts that are undesirable to some people that we are in a position where we can judge that and say are the benefits worthwhile? And I think in most cases they are.

JAKE STURMER: Barry Carbon has been on both sides of the fence. He's worked for Alcoa and the Environmental Protection Authority.

Now he's with Bauxite Resources.

BARRY CARBON: The farmers properties would be in a far better condition after we finishe than when we start. And, certainly, we have enough experience in forest rehabilitation, such that the forest rehabilitation is the best forest rehabilitation in the world.

JAKE STURMER: But the resources industry's interest in the south west doesn't end with coal and bauxite. Earlier this year the Federal Government approved an area off the coast for oil exploration.

CHRISSY SHARP: Do we want the whole of this state to in fact be open to extractive industries or do we want sustainable areas like the south west?

BARRY CARBON: There is an appropriate location for niche developments, provided they're done properly and provided they're not in a way which gives you adverse impact on other things, why not?

JAKE STURMER: So can the resources and tourism industries co exist? Liz Constable cites the gas precinct planned for a site near Broome as an example of the two industries working together.

LIZ CONSTABLE: People in Broome are satisfied that the leisure tourism industry will not be impacted to any great measure by that particular major project in the north.

JAKE STURMER: While that's news to some tourism operators in Broome, back down in Margaret River concerned locals are just looking for answers.

They'll meet representatives from LD Operations for the first time over the next fortnight.

KEITH SCOTT: It's been up to us to get in touch with them. I think they were trying to slip it through slightly unnoticed until it was too late it. It's almost too late now and we have really got to get busy.

JAKE STURMER: As the sun sets in the south west, the Scott family is gearing up for fight which could last years.